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Monday, May 17, 2010

Q for Treason #12

A few years ago I was interviewing a librarian for an article about zines in the Vancouver library. I asked her what zines she liked and she told me about one called Q for Treason that was written by another librarian in Vancouver and was about visiting ghost towns.

I got a couple of issues out including one about a cross Canada trip that Reece had been on. When I started reading it I was doubtful that he would actually go across all of Canada, as nobody ever went to Newfoundland. Except Reece (and his friends) did. And then they were hanging out with a friend of mine. And then they went on a trip I went on, and I realized that I’d met and hung out with Reece and his friends that summer (we went to an abandoned military base).

I emailed him and we hung out a few times before I left town. Considering I’m someone who loves exploring abandoned buildings I kind of wish we’d hung out more, but instead I will have to live vicariously through his zines.

In this issue Reece has somehow ended up in alone in Syria after crossing the border using seemingly dubious means. Once there Reece sets out to go and visit, you guessed it, ghost towns. This time they’re near the Israeli border. His adventures with Syrian bureaucracy (I cannot spell that word to save my life, hurray spellcheck) provide a strange counterpoint to his time wandering around completely empty and dilapidated buildings.

In between exploring these places that most local people, let alone tourists, never visit Reece hitchhikes, travels with cops, meets local people, learns about their culture, wonders about the differences between Canadians and people in other countries, and is surprised by a horse.

I only include website, email, and PO Box addresses. I'm not comfortable printing what could be people's home addresses on the internet. If you want your address included with the review of your zine let me know.